The government of the human world is structured with national, state, and local tiers. The national and state governments do not have a large day-to-day impact on the citizens of individual towns like Half Moon Bay, but the local government is aware of the unusual nature of the town and its people. This results in laws that prohibit certain runic incantations and a close monitoring network that is used to ensure its citizens’ safety and compliance. Since the town wishes to keep the existence of magic out of the view of outside populations, these laws often refer to volatile incantations using euphemisms such as “public indecency”, “acts with violent intent”, or “acts of terrorism” depending on the severity of the runes being addressed. Goblins do not have a government so much as vaguely-organized anarchy, however there are a few older goblins who are wizened enough to command some measure of respect. There is believed to be a Goblin “Council” of some sort deep within their forest domain. However the legitimacy of these rumors must always be taken with a grain of salt as it travelled along the mouths of the Goblins themselves. The rumors say that within Goblin Town the grand elders, those that live longer than a hundred years, conveen once every full moon to discuss the matters of Goblins and those of their neighboring men. A hundred years is an incredible feat for a goblin to achieve, not for their natural decay, but for the extremely common accidents that cause their deaths. The select few that manage to scrape by the hundred mark are seen as the wisest and the most well rounded for having made it so far. As for what they would actually discuss if the rumors were true, that is completely up to scepticism. Probably bombs and other fiddly things.
Rule of Law(3)
Due to the ambiguous wording required of the laws on runic magics, charges made against offenders are challenged regularly and plea deals for reduced sentencing are more common. One of the largest challenges faced by the mundane government is the mischief that Goblins get up to. Experiments often result in explosions in various regions of the forests and mountains, which are sometimes noticed by visitors. Some Goblins treat going undetected in the mundane side of Half Moon Bay as a coming of age ritual, which means that sometimes unusual teens with unusual accents appear in town. While they try, ‘subtlety’ is a concept lost to Goblins, so it is often left to the mundane police to make sure no issues occur.
Social Services(1)
Although the port sees a regular influx of money, port owners frequently lobby the local government for tax breaks and spending cuts. Because of their influence, public resources such as schools, fire departments, hospitals, etc. receive little government funding and are in a poor state. This has spurred a growth in private institutions to take their place. The lack of adequate social services creates a divide between the classes. Many members of the lower class believe that they are on their own, and attempt to operate their own volunteer services. Though, in terms of the police force, this resulted in the creation of vigilante groups.
Economics
Economic Strength(4)
Half Moon Bay hosts a popular port which enables the town to have a very lucrative trading environment. The constant import and export of goods from the port allows dock owners to become very wealthy, although the dock workers do not see this benefit them on their end. Because of the constant coming and going from the port, Half Moon Bay also has a flourishing hospitality industry. This port is also heavily frequented by navy aircraft carriers and submarines.Tattoo parlors and bars are scattered throughout the wharf district and there’s a thriving, if small, street that is the town’s Red Light District. The goblins have large scale mining operations throughout the mountains they dwell in.
Wealth Distribution(1↑)
Although the docks and hospitality businesses are flourishing from the town’s bustling port, many of the laborers and workers find themselves still making salaries that are below the national average. Up until now, business owners have successfully lobbied the local government to prevent any government interference, allowing the owners to continue becoming wealthy while workers’ wages stagnated. In recent years, public outcry and unionization has been pushing wages for these workers higher, and the city government is beginning to listen. An large amount of “under the table” activity has always arisen during peak trading times. Bartering and small trades occur without ledger or record. The wages that are provided to working class dock hands are ultimately negligible, therefore this sort of undercover work provides the majority of living wage to smaller households. Handmade goods, back alley tattoo parlors, and speakeasies have been operating for years under the radar of tax collectors. All this led to a flourishing underground culture.
Agriculture & Trade(4)
Half Moon Bay is traditionally a fishing town due to its location. There are some farms in outlying areas which supply some local markets in the town, but their main agricultural export is seafood. Being a port town, there is a significant amount of trading power that the townspeople can take advantage of. The goblins primarily eat game animals hunted in the forest, and fungus from their heavily cultivated fungus farms. Specialized runic arrays preserve the environment the fungus grow in, but there is a time dilation effect in the greenhouses that causes time to pass ten times faster. This lets the goblins grow their fungus much faster, but also requires them to wear specialized equipment with a specific runic array to enter or exit their farms. This array accelerates the aging of its wearers, however.
Social Relations
Race Relations(2↓)
Half Moon Bay has caucasian, asian, african american, and hispanic populations. There is a history of these different populations living close together and only frequenting businesses owned by members of their race. However, this mentality has been becoming less prevalent in recent years. Due to the studious nature of rune magic, ethnicity does not play a role here. However, the ideological differences between goblins, who want to use magic how they like without fear of exposing it, and humans, who wish to keep their abilities secret, divides these two races drastically. This division has caused humans to resent goblins, treating them as pests when they are found within urban civilization. Goblins typically take this disdain as a sort of challenge, prodding them to cause further chaos when acknowledged. Although goblin elders have been able to keep most goblins from bringing too much attention to themselves in front of outsiders, the populace is growing restless and bolder in their trickery. It seems to be a matter of time before a goblin goes too far.
Class Relations(3)
The harbormasters control a lot of the wealth that comes into the town, so they serve as the upper class in this society. They own the largest houses and most expensive vehicles in town. There is some tension between the classes, because wealth could be easy to obtain through magic, but the town tries to keep the existence of magic secret. This means that some of the members of the working class feel cheated because the harbormasters built their wealth off of their hard work. The harbormasters have been able to prevent any legal recourse for this imbalance by funding local political campaigns and lobbying for less regulation. Additionally, the abundance of potential labor caused by the high traffic through the port prevents unions from being truly effective in obtaining more fair wages.
Gender Relations(5↑)
Gender relations in Half Moon Bay are very good. This is somewhat due to the fact that rune carving is something that both men and women can be good at. This high level of equality has led to people that fit outside the gender binary feeling comfortable expressing themselves to the town. Although the older generation was against this initially, many have grown more accustomed and accepting as time went on.
Sexual Orientation(2)
Homosexuality is not really an issue many pay attention to in Half Moon Bay. At this time period, there are few initiatives to promote things like marriage equality. In general, if people are homosexual they will tend to keep it secret. During this period, homophobic slurs are commonly used as insults, perpetuating fear of being discovered as a homosexual. Instances of violence against homosexuals, while illegal, is not too uncommon. There is one gay bar in half moon bay, and it is often a target for vandalism.
Cultural Influences
Military(5)
Half Moon Bay is a port town, used heavily by the United States Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines. Naval troops and Marines are a common sight for the locals. Because of this, police are lax outside the port, and much more tense within the port; the sailors don’t like trouble where they can see it, but can get rowdy in the bars. Children are accustomed to the sight of armed forces, and tourists are often confused by how seamlessly navy and port culture blend with local culture. Many military troops have settled down in the port, finding the area familiar and comforting after their service. This further pushes the military culture of the town, and has catalysed the growth of military-oriented educational systems since most of the people who grow up in the bay go into the service.
Religion(2↓)
Half Moon Bay used to have a large Catholic population. However, only the older generation is still very religious. Most of the younger generations either don’t actively attend church, or are not religious. This change has been driven mostly by the frequent comings and goings of people of various faiths, beliefs, and cultures. This has ultimately led the townspeople to become disinterested in religion as a whole. While many of the people suspect there could be a connection between magic and religion, they do not have one central religion that explains it. Instead, several cults have come and gone over the years, each with their own explanation for the existence of these powers. There are also many, particularly in the younger population, that see magic as proof that religion is false, contributing further to its decline in importance in Half Moon Bay.
Technology(3)
The technology available is 80s/90s era devices. This means that computers exist, but not everyone has one, and the internet is a mystery to most of the people. The cell phones available in this time period are the large 90s era kind with long antennae, and are only owned by the wealthiest citizens. Machines are well in use for most of the port jobs, but the existence of runic magic still discourages a total replacement of a human workforce in local manufacturing positions. Goblins are fascinated with human technology, although they have a much more tenuous grasp on it. They will often re-create a human device, such as a computer, using both technology scraps and runic magic to make it work properly. They have little desire to innovate or improve upon any devices they manage to get working.
Arts & Culture(3↑)
Since the magic of this world asserts itself through runes, many of the town’s citizens used to carve them into everyday items. Over time, this invited the addition of ornate carvings in household items, such as furniture and appliances. This has sparked a growth in carpentry and crafting within the town, with family-owned businesses producing ornate household objects with carvings inspired by runes, but not necessarily functional as enchanted items (depending on the craftsman).
Magic(2)
The magic users and goblins have very little influence over the day-to-day life of mundane citizens. The area’s power plants, waste disposal, and hospital devices don’t appear to have runes carved in any areas of significance. The most notable influence the magical side of Half Moon Bay has over the mundane is in the local tattoo industry- Half Moon Bay is known for having skilled tattoo artists willing to do a wide variety of runic designs for reasonable prices. The goblins are treated more as pests than as magical creatures. They do not show up often, and they are removed (usually forcefully) as soon as they are recognised in human territory.
Table of Contents
Governance
Government presence (4)
The government of the human world is structured with national, state, and local tiers. The national and state governments do not have a large day-to-day impact on the citizens of individual towns like Half Moon Bay, but the local government is aware of the unusual nature of the town and its people. This results in laws that prohibit certain runic incantations and a close monitoring network that is used to ensure its citizens’ safety and compliance. Since the town wishes to keep the existence of magic out of the view of outside populations, these laws often refer to volatile incantations using euphemisms such as “public indecency”, “acts with violent intent”, or “acts of terrorism” depending on the severity of the runes being addressed.Goblins do not have a government so much as vaguely-organized anarchy, however there are a few older goblins who are wizened enough to command some measure of respect.
There is believed to be a Goblin “Council” of some sort deep within their forest domain. However the legitimacy of these rumors must always be taken with a grain of salt as it travelled along the mouths of the Goblins themselves.
The rumors say that within Goblin Town the grand elders, those that live longer than a hundred years, conveen once every full moon to discuss the matters of Goblins and those of their neighboring men. A hundred years is an incredible feat for a goblin to achieve, not for their natural decay, but for the extremely common accidents that cause their deaths. The select few that manage to scrape by the hundred mark are seen as the wisest and the most well rounded for having made it so far.
As for what they would actually discuss if the rumors were true, that is completely up to scepticism. Probably bombs and other fiddly things.
Rule of Law(3)
Due to the ambiguous wording required of the laws on runic magics, charges made against offenders are challenged regularly and plea deals for reduced sentencing are more common.One of the largest challenges faced by the mundane government is the mischief that Goblins get up to. Experiments often result in explosions in various regions of the forests and mountains, which are sometimes noticed by visitors. Some Goblins treat going undetected in the mundane side of Half Moon Bay as a coming of age ritual, which means that sometimes unusual teens with unusual accents appear in town. While they try, ‘subtlety’ is a concept lost to Goblins, so it is often left to the mundane police to make sure no issues occur.
Social Services(1)
Although the port sees a regular influx of money, port owners frequently lobby the local government for tax breaks and spending cuts. Because of their influence, public resources such as schools, fire departments, hospitals, etc. receive little government funding and are in a poor state. This has spurred a growth in private institutions to take their place. The lack of adequate social services creates a divide between the classes. Many members of the lower class believe that they are on their own, and attempt to operate their own volunteer services. Though, in terms of the police force, this resulted in the creation of vigilante groups.Economics
Economic Strength(4)
Half Moon Bay hosts a popular port which enables the town to have a very lucrative trading environment. The constant import and export of goods from the port allows dock owners to become very wealthy, although the dock workers do not see this benefit them on their end. Because of the constant coming and going from the port, Half Moon Bay also has a flourishing hospitality industry.This port is also heavily frequented by navy aircraft carriers and submarines.Tattoo parlors and bars are scattered throughout the wharf district and there’s a thriving, if small, street that is the town’s Red Light District.
The goblins have large scale mining operations throughout the mountains they dwell in.
Wealth Distribution(1↑)
Although the docks and hospitality businesses are flourishing from the town’s bustling port, many of the laborers and workers find themselves still making salaries that are below the national average. Up until now, business owners have successfully lobbied the local government to prevent any government interference, allowing the owners to continue becoming wealthy while workers’ wages stagnated. In recent years, public outcry and unionization has been pushing wages for these workers higher, and the city government is beginning to listen.An large amount of “under the table” activity has always arisen during peak trading times. Bartering and small trades occur without ledger or record. The wages that are provided to working class dock hands are ultimately negligible, therefore this sort of undercover work provides the majority of living wage to smaller households. Handmade goods, back alley tattoo parlors, and speakeasies have been operating for years under the radar of tax collectors. All this led to a flourishing underground culture.
Agriculture & Trade(4)
Half Moon Bay is traditionally a fishing town due to its location. There are some farms in outlying areas which supply some local markets in the town, but their main agricultural export is seafood. Being a port town, there is a significant amount of trading power that the townspeople can take advantage of.The goblins primarily eat game animals hunted in the forest, and fungus from their heavily cultivated fungus farms. Specialized runic arrays preserve the environment the fungus grow in, but there is a time dilation effect in the greenhouses that causes time to pass ten times faster. This lets the goblins grow their fungus much faster, but also requires them to wear specialized equipment with a specific runic array to enter or exit their farms. This array accelerates the aging of its wearers, however.
Social Relations
Race Relations(2↓)
Half Moon Bay has caucasian, asian, african american, and hispanic populations. There is a history of these different populations living close together and only frequenting businesses owned by members of their race. However, this mentality has been becoming less prevalent in recent years. Due to the studious nature of rune magic, ethnicity does not play a role here. However, the ideological differences between goblins, who want to use magic how they like without fear of exposing it, and humans, who wish to keep their abilities secret, divides these two races drastically.This division has caused humans to resent goblins, treating them as pests when they are found within urban civilization. Goblins typically take this disdain as a sort of challenge, prodding them to cause further chaos when acknowledged. Although goblin elders have been able to keep most goblins from bringing too much attention to themselves in front of outsiders, the populace is growing restless and bolder in their trickery. It seems to be a matter of time before a goblin goes too far.
Class Relations(3)
The harbormasters control a lot of the wealth that comes into the town, so they serve as the upper class in this society. They own the largest houses and most expensive vehicles in town. There is some tension between the classes, because wealth could be easy to obtain through magic, but the town tries to keep the existence of magic secret. This means that some of the members of the working class feel cheated because the harbormasters built their wealth off of their hard work.The harbormasters have been able to prevent any legal recourse for this imbalance by funding local political campaigns and lobbying for less regulation. Additionally, the abundance of potential labor caused by the high traffic through the port prevents unions from being truly effective in obtaining more fair wages.
Gender Relations(5↑)
Gender relations in Half Moon Bay are very good. This is somewhat due to the fact that rune carving is something that both men and women can be good at. This high level of equality has led to people that fit outside the gender binary feeling comfortable expressing themselves to the town. Although the older generation was against this initially, many have grown more accustomed and accepting as time went on.Sexual Orientation(2)
Homosexuality is not really an issue many pay attention to in Half Moon Bay. At this time period, there are few initiatives to promote things like marriage equality. In general, if people are homosexual they will tend to keep it secret. During this period, homophobic slurs are commonly used as insults, perpetuating fear of being discovered as a homosexual. Instances of violence against homosexuals, while illegal, is not too uncommon. There is one gay bar in half moon bay, and it is often a target for vandalism.Cultural Influences
Military(5)
Half Moon Bay is a port town, used heavily by the United States Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines. Naval troops and Marines are a common sight for the locals. Because of this, police are lax outside the port, and much more tense within the port; the sailors don’t like trouble where they can see it, but can get rowdy in the bars. Children are accustomed to the sight of armed forces, and tourists are often confused by how seamlessly navy and port culture blend with local culture.Many military troops have settled down in the port, finding the area familiar and comforting after their service. This further pushes the military culture of the town, and has catalysed the growth of military-oriented educational systems since most of the people who grow up in the bay go into the service.
Religion(2↓)
Half Moon Bay used to have a large Catholic population. However, only the older generation is still very religious. Most of the younger generations either don’t actively attend church, or are not religious. This change has been driven mostly by the frequent comings and goings of people of various faiths, beliefs, and cultures. This has ultimately led the townspeople to become disinterested in religion as a whole.While many of the people suspect there could be a connection between magic and religion, they do not have one central religion that explains it. Instead, several cults have come and gone over the years, each with their own explanation for the existence of these powers. There are also many, particularly in the younger population, that see magic as proof that religion is false, contributing further to its decline in importance in Half Moon Bay.
Technology(3)
The technology available is 80s/90s era devices. This means that computers exist, but not everyone has one, and the internet is a mystery to most of the people. The cell phones available in this time period are the large 90s era kind with long antennae, and are only owned by the wealthiest citizens. Machines are well in use for most of the port jobs, but the existence of runic magic still discourages a total replacement of a human workforce in local manufacturing positions.Goblins are fascinated with human technology, although they have a much more tenuous grasp on it. They will often re-create a human device, such as a computer, using both technology scraps and runic magic to make it work properly. They have little desire to innovate or improve upon any devices they manage to get working.
Arts & Culture(3↑)
Since the magic of this world asserts itself through runes, many of the town’s citizens used to carve them into everyday items. Over time, this invited the addition of ornate carvings in household items, such as furniture and appliances. This has sparked a growth in carpentry and crafting within the town, with family-owned businesses producing ornate household objects with carvings inspired by runes, but not necessarily functional as enchanted items (depending on the craftsman).Magic(2)
The magic users and goblins have very little influence over the day-to-day life of mundane citizens. The area’s power plants, waste disposal, and hospital devices don’t appear to have runes carved in any areas of significance. The most notable influence the magical side of Half Moon Bay has over the mundane is in the local tattoo industry- Half Moon Bay is known for having skilled tattoo artists willing to do a wide variety of runic designs for reasonable prices.The goblins are treated more as pests than as magical creatures. They do not show up often, and they are removed (usually forcefully) as soon as they are recognised in human territory.
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